Non Members

User login

It's a BHPA rule that a helmet must be worn. Insurance is provided on the basis that BHPA rules are adhered to. So if you fly without a lid - you may find you have no insurance...

I witnessed and was first aider at a paragliding crash where the pilot's helmet came off (4Fight, came off while done up with no visible damage to the helmet.) The russian female pilot had visible severe head injuries and is understood to have died after repatriation.

Dimensional checks have recently been made locally on a number of Team 5 gliders and the lines have been found to be significantly out of tolerance. Consequently ALL Team 5 gliders should be considered grounded until such time as a satisfactory line length check has been completed.

Pilots are further advised by the DHV that line length checks should be undertaken every 50 flights..

Good airmanship requires that paragliders must not be inflated in or below the paddock unless their pilots can see that there are no hang gliders present.
It is not possible for them to to so from low down the paddock, still less in front, without their first walking up to a position above the brow of the hill.

Consequently NO PARAGLIDERS ARE TO BE INFLATED ON OR BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE FOOTPATH IN FRONT OF DEVILS DYKE PADDOCK AT ANY TIME.

Some notes from last night's meeting with Allen Elliott from the East Sussex Soaring Association.

The modellers are keen to break down any barriers between "us" glider pilots and "them" model pilots. We all recognise that we share the same airspace and the same land owners. Any incidents, be they in-air or ground-based confrontations, need to be resolved swiftly and amicably in the interests of safety and good land owner relations.

2. All accidents and incidents must be reported to the BHPA using the Incident Report Form
within 48 hours. Any fatal or potentially fatal accident must also be reported to the police
and the Air Accident Investigation Branch immediately.

3. Pilots involved in any type of incident that could lead to an insurance claim must not
admit fault or liability.

4. A well fitting helmet must be worn on all flights. The helmet should be CE marked EN
966 in the HPG category.

Reserves and back protectors are just the glaring problems with some of these harnesses. There are numerous other areas in which some of these types are found wanting and I expect the DHV will get on the case in due course.